A Weapon to Surpass Pluton
A flash of light erupted into existence, following a blast of flame and destruction incarnate shooting into the sky. A silent explosion which was followed by a thundering boom which rocketed outwards with so much power that it could be both seen and felt as it commanded the ocean surrounding the island which existed a second before. Those familiar with the sea would think that all the volcanos of the world erupted at once. A deafening roar serving as the signal of the end-times. Once a calm and serene scene now a rapidly approaching inferno consuming everything in its vicinity. Chaos. This was war. And there the man who served beneath her sat in a massive chair pulled up closely to a screen. Surrounding him was his comfortable laboratory where he chose to retire to watch the testing take place. His eyes glued to the massive explosion as a God would while his creations fell victim to the chaos which he bestowed upon the world. He sipped his tea with a gigantic smile. Months upon months of testing. Ever since they discovered the mysterious metal in the New World...One with such a powerful radioactive signature! It was of course thanks to his superior's genius. She came up with the idea that within lied a deadly weapon! The goal? Well the Four Emperor's possessed military might capable of standing against the World Government. Which meant that should they ever decide to stand among themselves, the world itself would collapse under injustice! Only someone as brilliant as her would possess such foresight! The World Government has experienced nothing but the most blessed of fortune to not have faced such an occurrence yet! But even the most sunniest days end. So it was up to the scientist below the goddess herself to discover a weapon that would dwarf Pluton in the sun's grace. And they'd done so! "Dukokokokokokok!" A thunderous laughter filled the room. "Dukokokokokokokoko! "Professor Stein?" "It's a success." Doctor Stein responded. "After numerous failures, we've finally done it...." We've finally perfected the Weapon to Surpass Pluton." "Get her on the phone immediately. We have to discuss transportation." The mad scientist stood up and grabbed a handful of cigars. He bit the end piece and placed them all in his mouth before setting them aflame as celebration. "I was wondering Professor Stein," Another apprentice started. "Why didn't we perform these test in the New World? Closer to our bases?" A massive puff. A breath. "We'd no idea of the effects this bomb would have in the Grand Line's already chaotic weather patterns. And performing this experiment too far away might attract the attention of unwanted eyes." The professor looked over and pressed replay with his middle finger which stretched across the room. "Tha last thing we need is for any scouts of the four emperors to see this!" Professor Stein took a cigar and rubbed it into his apprentices skin. But the young lad knew better to scream. The professor got migraines easy. And the only way to calm them were a special solution of young blood and brain matter! Stein held back his insane laughter as he watched the young man suffer. "Now that we know the weapon works, we'll bring it back to the New World for duplicative purposes. A couple more and we'll be able to wipe those pesky Yonko off the face of the earth!" Professor Stein finished his cigar with one deep breath and tossed the rest into a nearby garbage. The plump madman then made his way through several halls to his own private quarters. A beautifully decorative room covered in red velvet and silky linen. Pictures of his time in the marines covered the walls. He sat down in front of a large screen and pressed several buttons. Ring...Ring...Ring... "Stein, I will not warn you again about extinguishing your little cancer sticks on your assistants. I have several cameras on the labs at all times, you know that." The woman's voice boomed through the speakers. The video feed was extremely grainy and obscured, so that the face of the woman could not be seen, only her silhouette. Through that, it was clear enough who it was; the Head Scientist of the Marines, Peg Nez. An audible sigh could be heard from the other side of the screen, followed by a few seconds of silence. "What is the status?" Nez asked. Of course she would tap his lab! Only one within the inner circle of the Fleet Admiral would do that. Such foresight! If Stein possessed her gift, he would have already eradicated all the evil in this foul world already. "I'm so sorry Professor!" Stein bowed his head to the desk immediately in attempts to win her favor again. "I'll send you a million flowers for forgiveness and stab my stomach in repentance!" The fat professor wiped the tears from his eyes before continuing. "It has been completed. I'm sending over the video too you now." With a click of a button, the video would pop up on her screen. Showing the immediate vaporization of several islands in a single flash. "We have successfully created a bomb capable of erasing an entire fleet of pirates!" Although the video feed could not show it, Nez's eyes glanced down at the ground and she clasped her hands together, rubbing them ever-so-slightly. "Very good. But with a weapon of such magnitude, failure is not an option. We'll be conducting several more tests before we consider anything to be "successful." Signing off." Nez's feed went dark, and both sides stood in front of a black screen on their respective ends. Nez looked at her reflection in the blackness and quickly shot her eyes away. A woman of few words. But still...her acceptance was extremely important. She had every right to request more test. After all, they lacked enough information to truly say this bomb lacked any undesirable side effects. They needed to create another one. And this time closer to the New World! Professor Stein had just the place! He pressed a red button and picked up the phone. Now came time to move everything to the frozen laboratory known as Twinkle Island. Why Do You Sail? Who runs the world? GIRLS! The ship had set it's course to Twinkle Island some time ago and they were soon too arrive, why they were there? Well, the truth was Mary Bonny did not care about the nuclear weapon being held on Twinkle's supposedly super secret facility, she just wanted to rain on Chateau's parade and if she had the chance to piss off a few marines in the process? Well that was even better. Besides, they all needed to be taught a lesson anyway! Bonny marched across The Femme Fatales deck, contemplating a course of action before finally arriving to the ships bow. The woman crossed her arms and peered into the distance, the water rippled as they went, and Bonny only smiled at what the future held, taking her gun, Awe, from it's hustler she pretended to fire and then blew the imaginary smoke from it's barrel before whispering, "Watch our Noir, I'm gunnin' for ya." and then letting out a hefty chuckle. Turning back around, she was startled to see Read Anne, her first mate and dearly beloved friend. "Ready to show em' who runs the world?" Bonny smirked. "I suppose so." Anne was sitting in a comfortable throne, it had a golden color and a red cushion seat. The head of the seat had the maneater pirates jolly roger on the top of it because Anne was super extra. Her eyes wandering over to her friend and captain, Mary Bonny. "What're we doing here again? I always forget about the stuff we do." Her memory may not be the sharpest but the woman herself was an accomplished fighter, hoping to study a little bit more and train her works to become one of the best pirates out there or at least one of the best in the small crew the two were in. However, being strong wasn't her main focus and it never will be. Mary was one of her best friends and possible soulmate (; . Anne quickly snapped out of her daydreaming and looked forward to mary. "If I have to fight someone, I hope they're at least sorta fun? Imagine if it was someone who bores me to death!" "Well, somethin' tells me we won't have to wory about bein' bored." Bonny said, laughing slightly. Even in all this excitement that's what her friend was thinking about? Walking closer to Anne's throne, Bonney looked up, eyeing their Jolly Roger. A skull decorated with various makeup, lipstick, blush, eyeshadow, it was very feminine and represented the crew well. Bonny was proud of it, then she turned her attention back to Anne. "So, you know the plan? No matter what happens, we're gonna put Chateau in his place. Below our feet lickin' our boots." Bonny was a feminist on the seas, a pirate queen, a tyrant, and a feminazi and no man was going to be a better pirate than her! "Right, except I'd rather not have a man's filthy tongue ruining my expensive boots." Anne wasn't as feminist as her friend as she didn't mind the occasional man staring at her breasts but after her past relationships she's very hesitant to date anyone with a penis. "Fighting people is usually super boring, all they do is throw punches and growl like animals." She sipped her tea again, dipping a little marshmallow in it to be fancy and sexy. Her mood today was bored out of her mind and annoyed she would have to do something. Stealing is Fun The first job taken since Meredia had that conversation with him that fateful night. When Chateau decided to this journey serious. No longer would they sail as pirates looking aimlessly for a place to belong. Chateau had a goal. One which involved saving a close friend and discovering a truth. It might lead them to the belly of the beast...but that was what made life so much fun. The constant battles. He felt himself growing stronger with each victory and defeat. Perhaps this life had been crafted for him from the second of his birth? Regardless, the next mission surpassed anything he'd done before. It involved taking on the World Government themselves. Meredia received word that the marines were constructing a weapon of mass destruction. Numerous sightings followed by increased patrols. Did the World Government take a class in conspicuousness? Either way, her sources pinpointed the government facility to the nearby winter fortress, Twinkle Island. A science facility that utilized the natural weather as a barrier of sorts. It excited him! Who'd he have the blessing to fight next?! After fighting those Manly Pirates and the Lava brat, Chateau was getting the hang of his Goliath form. So much so, he actually enjoyed fighting as a miniature giant. More importantly, a facility as wrapped up as that would surely have something worth stealing. And he needed to do as much as possible in order to get into the Underworld by the time they reached the New World. Chateau swung the wine within his glass in a circle before taking a sip. The red wine from the grapes of Wrath Island were quite rare. Thankfully they'd manage to raise quite the fund from their previous job. "A science facility on a Winter island." Chateau groaned. He could always transform and walk to the facility while invisible. The cold didn't do anything to him in his Full-Beast Form. But...he would need help on this task. Which meant having to tread through the deadly cold and deal with frostbite and stuff. "Mori should be able to take it. And I'll bring him as a test." Chateau looked to the cabin. "Monsieur Reji!" He called. Reij had been busy scrubbing stains out of his clothes, the last nice thing he had from the short-lived money he had stolen from the marine girl at Red Light Island. Hearing his name called, he quickly got dressed, grabbing his black book of debts and exited his room. Stepping out into the sun, he covered his face for a moment. "Captain, yes, hello there. Good morning." He carried a second-hand Marine saber on his hip and a rifle on his back. Dressed in his heavy dark clothes, he would be warm and comfortable. Above his head was a rolling total, like a cash register readout. Currently, it read 1550. Clearing his throat, he smiled weakly. The boy looked like he was about ready to get sick. "Monsieur Reji," Chateau started. He found the boy's power unique but quite costly. A Devil Fruit which grew stronger with more money a person had? Imagine a better power for a crew of thieves? "we are getting close to our next target. I'm not one to take my entire crew with me as we need someone to watch the ship and money." He sipped his wine. "We're going to infiltrate a World Government facility and steal whatever weapon they're building. Up for it?" Chateau smiled. His soft eyes looking at the boy as one would a dear friend this was complimented by his gentlemanly outfit. A blazer over a nice dress shirt tucked into black denim pants. Reji rolled his eyes a little nervously, looking to the side. "Ah, yes, sir, about that." He coughed a little, perhaps dramatically. "I'd be happy to help out, I really would, but since I had to buy these BIG, HEAVY, EXPENSIVE clothes, I'm a little low in my Piggybank. If I could get just a little loan before payday? I'd sure appreciate it." He held his hands out pitifully, looking like a sharp-toothed little orphan boy begging for crumbs on the side of the street. The pirate was exceedingly bad at managing his power. He had only recently eaten the fruit on a dare, and was just now trying to turn his life into that of a pirate. Before this, he had been a street rat and a very unsuccessful gambler. "You know," Chateau sighed. "YOU'RE BECOMING AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE MEMBER!" Chateau launched himself at Reiji. Aiming to slam his head into the boy's own head. "Why couldn't you eat a devil fruit which lets you get stronger the more you breath!" He roared. "I'm not going to drain our treasury to keep you alive!" A deep breath. The ebony captain tilted his head in a playful smile. "Of course I'll loan you some money. But it's either coming out of your next haul or you better steal whatever looks expensive to you. Got it?" The headbutt was probably meant to be playful and gentle, but the frail and weakly Reji grunted as his head whipped back. Laying on the ground in a crumpled heap, a lump already red and forming on his head, he trembled like a dying spider. "Yeessss sssiiiirrrr...." Hearing that he would be given a loan, a 'ka-ching' sound was heard around him and he hopped up, the total over his head now in the very small negatives and slowly ticking lower one number at a time. "Aw Captain, you treat me so good. Ugh, that makes me sound like some kind of skeezy pirate hooker." Thinking over what his captain was asking, he rubbed his chin. "Hell yes I'm up for this, if you think I can be useful. Point me in the right direction and I'll get to work. Oh! Maybe I'll get a bounty! That would be cool! That's a pirate... thing to do. Field experience, woo!" "Good! Getting a bounty is quite the experience!" Chateau sat back down and sipped his wine, ignoring the giant bump also growing on his forehead. "I'm also bringing Murosaki Mori. We have to be careful. Not just because of the fierce cold but also any potential traps and marines. You'll be staying close to me as well." Blood started to trickle out of Reji's mouth, a weak smile on his lips as the numbers above his head continued to trickle down into the red. "Interesting, I can't wait to meet her. So, while we're um... waiting, about that loan." He wobbled back and forth, looking pale. "Wasn't quite aware that my ability worked this way-blergh." He covered his mouth as blood leaked between his fingers. On The Job Citra was not the kind of Marine to actively seek out work after she got her ship. She was fine with just traveling around the world to find information about the Devil Fruit she is looking for. However, the Government seems to have it out for her. Or at least, that's what it started to feel like. She got a mission to protect something on a place called Twinkle Island. And if she didn't do it, she'd have to be investigated or might even have her status as a Marine revoked. Which would mean loosing her ship. Which, frankly, is something she REALLY doesn't want. So in the end, Citra had no choice but to accept the mission and head to Twinkle Island. Cold weather never bothered her thanks to being a Mink with cozy, warm fur. But that wasn't the main issue. The issue was that this was actively holding her search, and thus was making her really anxious. Any minute she spends wasting her time is a minute that could've been used to search. But now, she was stuck on a cold island with the duty to protect it for... whatever amount of time. The fact that she doesn't even know how long she has to stay on here is only pissing her off even more. "Dammit... dammit... dammit... why do i have to be in this place? Why am i tasked with protecting something so important? Freaking World Government... i am looking forward to the day where i can just say "GOODBYE SUCKERS" and leave you all behind." Citra mumbled to herself. That, and various other insults that don't need to be described. All in all, Citra is not happy about this current situation. Other Marines are here too. So it has to be something important alright. But she really doesn't care about what it is. But now, she actually has to protect it no matter what. Because if these marines see her doing anything out of the ordinary, she'd just be suspicious. Good Lord... or Devil, whoever supports her at the moment, get her out of this situation as fast as possible. She could hear some of the lower grade Marine Guards talking about her. "So untrustworthy.", or "Why is she even here?", or "She's shorter than i expected". But she didn't say anything. Citra remained silently angry. One day she will get back at everyone for mocking her anyways.